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The Cocktail Ponders: Part5

Starting to write my blog after a couple of drinks again…… I  can see a slight pattern emerging! I keep telling myself its fine as its my job….and I will keep telling myself that!  Tooooo much has happened in the past few months and ive been particularly shit with my blog. Christmas was stupidly crazy and anyone in the industry will tell you that Christmas is always their busiest time with the deathly low of the first two weeks of January to follow. The snow in Bath had a mega impact upon us again this year….nice that it always falls on the weekend and as much as I love the pretty scenery especially in Bath, it wreaks havoc for the bar/restaurant trade. Interrrupted travel stops those freak out of towners hopping on the train to see a friend for the night,  and believe it or not, in a place like Bath they can make the difference. Nevertheless we trooped on, gained a few new members of staff and generally got on with a massive spring clean and general day to day work and lots of research for new and exciting things to come.

Staff beer training...good day had by all!)

 

It's finally ready! After ageing Bombay Sapphire and Luxardo Maraschino in Turkish Oak for 75 days the 'Aged-Viation' is here. Available to try first on New Years Eve then after if there is any left it will be here till it's gone. What should go in next? Everything!!!!!! Ive been thinking of creating bespoke aged cocktails for events here at the bar…. Charge for a barrel and the spirits a few months before the event and present it and serve it at the party…fun thought! I’d have it at my wedding reception :D

(Back in December I got uber excited about our Aged-Viation, and don’t get me wrong I still am….however so was the public, and now we are on batch no#2 and we have to wait another 40 days before im satisfied its smooth enough… moral to the story- Always buy a bigger barrel!)

The Aged Viation batch#1

Something yummy I made today:

50ml Plymouth Sloe Gin

20ml Lime Juice

10ml Orgeat

40ml Rose wine

Orange twist garnish

Served double strained in a Coupette glass.

This I named The Bermuda Rig after a looking into old nautical terms. I was asked to create a cocktail for a couple who are having their wedding at Circo next month.

Another yummy thing this month: Valentines Cocktails

Daffy's Elixir

Rhuby Liqueur, Homemade Tart Rhubarb and vanilla Jus and De Kuyper XO Cherry Brandy topped with Gaston Derichbourg Champagne. 
Not going to lie....it's super tasty. Thought of the name after researching some info on Brandy and realising the medicinal nature it was used for in the 17^th Century lead me to ‘Daffy’s Elixir’. The name of a medicine from the 1700’s that included numerous Alcohols, herbs and spices…but also Rhubarb. Rhuby is such a gorgeous liqueur that I couldn’t really say no to this luscious Rhubarby goodness being in yet another drink of mine, and coupled with the XO Cherry Brandy it leans a nod to the ‘classic’ champagne cocktail. This is actually an creation for a valentines day starter at Circo, created to compliment a venison Carpaccio that our awesome chef Hannah is knocking up. To be honest its tasty without the meat, but its also one of those drinks that after a couple may be too much (apart from me as my sweet tooth dominates all! Even extra gomme in my mojitos!)

New things in the bar this week
Naga Chilli Vodka, Rhuby Liqueur,
Chase Raspberry Liqueur
and De Kuyper XO
Cherry Brandy

Another cocktail for Valentines is the Tuxedo Cocktail No.2

A cocktail inspired by researching some drinks from the Savoy Cocktail Book and reminiscing back to the days of 'Good old fashioned proper courtship'

Th Hendricks Scale that was given to us by First Drinks.
Allows you to measure what is in your bottle.Quite handy
ass the bottles are dark and opaque.

The Tuxedo Cocktail (No.2)

Maraschino, Absinthe, Bombay Dry, Noilly Pratt and Orange Bitters. Shaken and served with a maraschino cherry and a crack of lemon oil.

I love The Savoy Cocktail Book, and any bartender will tell you its impact on society lives on today. On the inside cover it goes as follows…“High Society in the 1930’s was concerned with supreme gentility and extraordinary fun. When the Savoy Cocktail Book was first published, it not only helped enrich the style of the times, it became a part of it” This is so true and even these days we see how the fashion of cocktails and certain styles of mixing drinks change and form the way people drink. We all know that going for a drink back in the 1930’s was not your binge 15 WKD’s and cocktails were considered a luxury and were driven by a passion for flavour and fashion. There are many bars across the world today that still exude this behaviour and it’s those bars that most people want to be a part of. These drinks are not designed to be binged on, and many are rather boozy indeed! Perhaps the attitude of the consumer needs to alter with the changing times of fashion in bars today? Or are the bartenders being forced to alter the recepies of classic drinks to fit the quantity of cocktails drinkers consume today? Either way, no one likes a binge drinker that ends up on the floor…I blame the current economic environment!

I made a hair bow from my 'Vintage tea party Year' (see prpevious posts)
Book that the boyf got me :) LOVE

Our Balvenie Dipping Dog. Also given to us by First drinks.
An awesome contraption thats worth a google....

I was at The Rummer Hotel in Bristol the other day for a No.3 Gin session and the brand ambassador was talking about the classic Negroni at the Savoy containing 100ml of Dry London gin (normally around the 45/50% ABV mark). Needless to say back in the 30’s times were different and drinks like this were presumably savoured, a real treat and a fashion statement; it would seem that with the growing fashion of new and exciting cocktails (containing more and more alcohol and spirits with higher ABV’S) the consumer expects the same quality, feel and theatrics that these classic cocktails bring, but with a lower price tag, cheaper ingredients and the ability to drink at least 5 in one sitting without getting alcohol poisioning. This is where the bartender comes in and where menu writing must be clever and directional. The consumer needs to know what they are getting for their money, how its going to make them look and how its going to taste….this is why I love my job. Forecasting trends, working out the gp’s, writing new menu’s, training the staff and talking to like minded people about what they are doing.

I think that’s enough to take in for now…any thoughts please leave a comment. Always nice to hear from fellow boozy folk.

Many thanks to the guys at First Drinks for sending these Hendricks Gin
Beauties our way! This is a cracking punch bowl ready to fil
l with yummy things in the summer.

Toodles x